CHAPTER NINETY NINE – YET ANOTHER DETOUR

The sun was just starting to peek over the horizon as Jasmine and Claire finally rolled back into the city limits, their spirits high and clothes still bearing the stains and remnants of their wild Duck Day escapades. Peels of laughter drifted out the open windows as they rehashed the most hilarious highlights. "I still can't believe you actually won that pie eating contest, Jaz!" Claire chortled, wiping away a mirthful tear. "And here I always took you for the prim and proper sort." Jasmine grinned, feeling lighter than she had in ages as she flashed back to the memory of faceplanting into that first cherry pie with reckless abandon. "What can I say? When a competitive spirit hits, it hits hard. That little old lady never knew what was coming for her!" "Yeah, well, you're just lucky she didn't bring her customary pie iron to the fight!" Claire joked, sending them both into another spiral of joviality. "I still have whipped cream in places I didn't even know existed." As their laug